Mark of the Emperor-King
by PhoenixDragonDreamer
Summary: . For once, Cybermen and Daleks weren't the problem. People were.


**Warnings:** Character Study, Speculation, Introspection  
 **A/N:** Written for **who_contest** 's **Prompt:** _ **Signs**_ _._ This probably isn't the most original idea ever, but it was fun to write. The Musie want to plunk down more (MUCH MORE), but I managed to wrangle it down to the word limit for the contest. Drabbles usually aren't my best work, as I always want to cram more in there than there should be - but I gave it my level best and can only hope it reads well. As per usual, this fic is mostly unbeta'd and written in one go, so please forgive any mistakes and/or blatant vagueness. And (as always), I apologize for any repetition, misspellings, sentence fails, grammatical oh-noes and general horridness. Unbeta'd fic is overly-thinky/wandery/blithery and unbeta'd.  
 **Disclaimer(s):** _I do not own the scrumptious Doctor or his lovely companions. That honor goes to the BBC and (for now) the fantastic S. Moffat. The only thing that belongs to me is this fiction - and I am making no profit. Only playing about!_

* * *

The search was going slow, despite the speed at which they translated the pictographs. For once, River kept her humor under check, even as it was the last weapon she would reach for at this moment. She had seen her Doctor serious. She had seen him angry and in pain and at a loss. But she had never seen him quite like this. His demeanor was quiet and intent, his speed rapid – no holding back on his superior strength and reflexes as he normally did.

At this point, she didn't know whether to be flattered or worried.

Maybe a bit of both wouldn't hurt.

"I know it is here," he had said more than once, not elaborating on what 'it' was or how he knew of the location. The only information he had been free with, was the hieroglyph they were searching for (sketched on a faded piece of parchment), and the fact that is was located in this star-cluster.

Never-mind the asteroids within the cluster that they were currently searching were smack in the middle of one of the most hostile regions of space one could find in the 53rd century. For once, Cybermen and Daleks weren't the problem. People were. And the ancient etchings of those same people might save the ones born under the current tyranny.

But that was about all she could get out of him.

Being him and being who he was, she considered it almost generous. There were no archaeology jokes, there was no playful bickering. Just crawling through abandoned asteroid crevices, looking at symbols that were almost older than the asteroids themselves.

Which meant there were more to these rocks, sigils and sector of space than she knew. Finding out was usually the fun part. It was less fun though, when a being as powerful and godlike as the Doctor scrabbled about in the dust on his hands and knees, looking for something so small and seemingly insignificant. His face was streaked with ash and dust, bowtie loose and half-unraveled at his throat. He hadn't smiled once since she had arrived and he barely seemed to pay her any mind, aside from handing her the parchment and the tiniest bit of info.

She combed and sifted with him – fingers trailing over half-destroyed markings on the walls and floor of their current location – most of the sigils having been forcibly destroyed instead of left to the destruction of time. That meant someone knew they were here. And that their being here was a threat.

Only the Doctor would know exactly how.

"There you are, you beauty," he muttered, flapping a hand in River's direction to draw her attention – and maybe her extra light source. "If this is what I think it is…"

He handed her his pack, crouching down in front of the symbol that meant 'emperor-king', the first smile she had seen in days flickering across his face as he traced the scorched mark with reverent fingers. His eyes twinkled when he looked at her, and she could feel the bloom of excitement fire up in her belly. This meant he had a plan.

She loved it when he had a plan.

"Professor Song, would you like to save the universe with me?" He asked, smiling that wonderful, mischievous smile.

"Will there be explosions?"

"Might be."

"Running?"

"Always."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

He laughed then, and took her hand.

It was time to save the galaxy.


End file.
